ICAO Code | SKAP/ |
Last Validated | Aug 2009 |
City | Apiay |
Position | 04°04'34"N 073°33'46"W |
Runway(s) | 11/29 |
Elevation | 1227 ft |
Apiay is located near Villavicencio and is a main combat base of the Colombian air force and army. From here, daily counter-insurgency operations are undertaken in the east and south east of the country. The base also houses a limited American presence and is sometimes referred to as Gomez Nino airbase, after the main air combat unit based here. Not surprisinly, security levels are high. Beware, aircraft spotting and photography are not generally understood as a hobby in Colombia and extreme caution is required at this front line airbase.
The airbase is part of a huge military complex which also houses a hospital and an army battalion. The battalion usually houses helicopters as well on a compounded adjacent to the airfield. Apiay has a single east-west runway, with facilities on both sides of the runway. The army can be found to the north west of the runway, whereas the main facilities, the Super Tucano squadron, tactical air squadron and storage can be found to the north east of the runway. To the south east, the Tucano squadron, the air defence squadron and the US compound can be found. Because of the large military complex, views of the airbase from outside are limited, with only the east side providing a chance. Access to the west side is blocked by military installations, shooting ranges, woods and the local agricultural university.
The airbase is located just south of road no.40 from Villavicencio to Puerto Lopez in Meta department, about 10kms south east of Villavicencio's town centre. It is not to be mixed up with Villavicencio-Vanguardia airport, which can be found just north of town.
126.200 | Tower |
119.300 | Villavicencio approach |
Fuerza Aérea Colombiana - CACOM 2 | |
GRUCO 21 | AT-27 A-29B AC-47T AH-60L C212 Ce208 SA2-37B SR-560 |
United States Army | |
204th MI Batallion Det. | EO-5B |
FAC2504 | RB-26C, gateguard, north side |
FAC2018 | T-33A, gateguard, north side |
FAC2030 | T-33A, preserved on pole, south side, visible from road no.40 |
Colombia - Air Force |
Colombia - Army |
Colombia - Navy |
Colombia - Police |
Colombia - Navy Ships |
Apiay - Capitán Luis Fernando Gómez Niño   | |
Barranquilla - Ernesto Cortissoz   | |
Bogotá - El Dorado International | |
Cali - Alfonso Bonilla Aragón Intl   | |
Cali - Marco Fidel Suárez   | |
Cartagena - Rafael Núñez   | |
Guaymaral - Flaminio S. Camacho (Chía) | |
Leticia - Alfredo Vásquez Cobo   | |
Madrid - Mayor Justino Mariño   | |
Medellín - Olaya Herrera   | |
Rionegro - José María Córdova   | |
San José del Guaviare - Jorge E. González Torres   | |
Santa Marta - Base Antinarcóticos   | |
Santa Marta - Simón Bolívar | |
Villavicencio - Vanguardia |
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